Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP): A Super Nutraceutical

By Nan Kathryn Fuchs

Modified citrus pectin (MCP) is an amazing substance backed by impressive research. In this book, you'll learn that in addition to having the same beneficial effects as pectin, from which it is derived, MCP also has the extraordinary added benefit of protecting against cancer, cancer progression, and heart disease. Of all diseases, MCP has been studied most extensively for prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers in men. MCP has been shown to slow PSA doubling time, to stop the spread of prostate cancer, and to kill prostate cancer cells. Moreover, you'll learn how it may lower cholesterol, reduce atherosclerosis, remove heavy metals and environmental toxins from the body, and prevent and reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
• Release date: Jan 1, 2003
• ISBN: 9781591206705

Nan Kathryn Fuchs

Nan Kathryn Fuchs, Ph.D., is the author of "The Nutrition Detective".

Book preview

Introduction

Our most valuable medicines have their origins in plants. From the Brazilian shrub Cephaelis ipecacuanha that yields ipecac, a remedy for amoebic dysentery, to the bark of the Peruvian chinchona tree that gave us quinine, plants have helped us heal for centuries. Before the era of pharmaceutical drugs, plants and plant extracts were given for every complaint from minor ailments to major diseases. Through trial and error—and through careful observation—ancient doctors learned the properties of each plant. Out of their observations came the first human clinical trials.

Research has become more sophisticated since then, and we now have the ability to extract particular plant molecules. But today’s medicine, both traditional and complementary, has its roots in ancient times with plants. The pattern today is to discover the active ingredients in plants and turn them into pharmaceutical drugs as fast as possible. Pharmaceutical companies then charge high sums of money for these synthetic drugs, making it impossible for many people to afford them. What’s more, many of these drugs have side effects, limiting their long-term usefulness.

At the same time that pharmaceutical companies look for the perfect drug, independent researchers with far fewer funds are studying plant materials looking for natural, less-toxic solutions to our health problems. Pharmaceutical companies pour money into researching and promoting drugs they can patent. Since few natural products can be patented, there is less research on natural products. One exception is modified citrus pectin (MCP), a super nutraceutical with impressive research behind it.

MCP starts out as ordinary pectin and is transformed into a natural product with enhanced capabilities. When it has been properly modified, MCP can keep cancer cells from attaching to the walls or blood vessels (their source of nutrients) or to one another. This keeps them from forming into tumors and from spreading to other sites. But cancer prevention and treatment are only two of its many applications. As recent clinical trials are showing, MCP has a significant role in reducing heart disease and removing toxins.

The discovery of MCP, and the MCP product found in studies to have the most optimal characteristics, is a fascinating story that has not been told before. It begins thirty years ago in Israel when scientists were studying the peel of oranges and grapefruits for any health benefits. And the final chapter has yet to be written.

Pectin is a common soluble fiber that’s found in large quantities in apple skins and the rinds of citrus fruits. It’s made from a long chain of sugar molecules. You may be familiar with using apple pectin in making jams and jellies. It gives them body and a smooth texture. Or you may have used a combination of kaolin clay and pectin to successfully stop diarrhea. As a bulking agent, pectin is also included in some preparations to reduce and eliminate constipation. But this simple fiber does much more. Because it is a soluble fiber, pectin also helps lower cholesterol, reducing your risk for heart disease. But because pectin’s molecules are too large to be digested and absorbed into the bloodstream, its actions are limited to its activity in the digestive tract.

The value of pectin increased substantially when scientists modified its larger molecules into smaller, less complex ones. This